unbeaten tracks in japan-第36节

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annually；　and　certainly　is　very　efficient　in　preserving　good　order。
The　pay　of　ordinary　constables　ranges　from　6　to　10　yen　a　month。　　An
enormous　quantity　of　superfluous　writing　is　done　by　all　officialdom
in　Japan；　and　one　usually　sees　policemen　writing。　　What　comes　of　it
I　don't　know。　　They　are　mostly　intelligent　and　gentlemanly…looking
young　men；　and　foreigners　in　the　interior　are　really　much　indebted
to　them。　　If　I　am　at　any　time　in　difficulties　I　apply　to　them；　and；
though　they　are　disposed　to　be　somewhat　de　haut　en　bas；　they　are
sure　to　help　one；　except　about　routes；　of　which　they　always　profess
ignorance。

On　the　whole；　I　like　Kubota　better　than　any　other　Japanese　town；
perhaps　because　it　is　so　completely　Japanese　and　has　no　air　of
having　seen　better　days。　　I　no　longer　care　to　meet　Europeans
indeed　I　should　go　far　out　of　my　way　to　avoid　them。　　I　have　become
quite　used　to　Japanese　life；　and　think　that　I　learn　more　about　it
in　travelling　in　this　solitary　way　than　I　should　otherwise。　　I。　L。
B。



LETTER　XXIII



〃A　Plague　of　Immoderate　Rain〃A　Confidential　ServantIto's　Diary…
…Ito's　ExcellencesIto's　FaultsProphecy　of　the　Future　of　Japan
Curious　QueriesSuperfine　EnglishEconomical　TravellingThe
Japanese　Pack…horse　again。

KUBOTA；　July　24。

I　am　here　still；　not　altogether　because　the　town　is　fascinating；
but　because　the　rain　is　so　ceaseless　as　to　be　truly　〃a　plague　of
immoderate　rain　and　waters。〃　　Travellers　keep　coming　in　with
stories　of　the　impassability　of　the　roads　and　the　carrying　away　of
bridges。　　Ito　amuses　me　very　much　by　his　remarks。　　He　thinks　that
my　visit　to　the　school　and　hospital　must　have　raised　Japan　in　my
estimation；　and　he　is　talking　rather　big。　　He　asked　me　if　I　noticed
that　all　the　students　kept　their　mouths　shut　like　educated　men　and
residents　of　Tokiyo；　and　that　all　country　people　keep　theirs　open。
I　have　said　little　about　him　for　some　time；　but　I　daily　feel　more
dependent　on　him；　not　only　for　all　information；　but　actually　for
getting　on。　　At　night　he　has　my　watch；　passport；　and　half　my　money；
and　I　often　wonder　what　would　become　of　me　if　he　absconded　before
morning。　　He　is　not　a　good　boy。　　He　has　no　moral　sense；　according
to　our　notions；　he　dislikes　foreigners；　his　manner　is　often　very
disagreeable；　and　yet　I　doubt　whether　I　could　have　obtained　a　more
valuable　servant　and　interpreter。　　When　we　left　Tokiyo　he　spoke
fairly　good　English；　but　by　practice　and　industrious　study　he　now
speaks　better　than　any　official　interpreter　that　I　have　seen；　and
his　vocabulary　is　daily　increasing。　　He　never　uses　a　word
inaccurately　when　he　has　once　got　hold　of　its　meaning；　and　his
memory　never　fails。　　He　keeps　a　diary　both　in　English　and　Japanese；
and　it　shows　much　painstaking　observation。　　He　reads　it　to　me
sometimes；　and　it　is　interesting　to　hear　what　a　young　man　who　has
travelled　as　much　as　he　has　regards　as　novel　in　this　northern
region。　　He　has　made　a　hotel　book　and　a　transport　book；　in　which
all　the　bills　and　receipts　are　written；　and　he　daily　transliterates
the　names　of　all　places　into　English　letters；　and　puts　down　the
distances　and　the　sums　paid　for　transport　and　hotels　on　each　bill。

He　inquires　the　number　of　houses　in　each　place　from　the　police　or
Transport　Agent；　and　the　special　trade　of　each　town；　and　notes　them
down　for　me。　　He　takes　great　pains　to　be　accurate；　and　occasionally
remarks　about　some　piece　of　information　that　he　is　not　quite
certain　about；　〃If　it's　not　true；　it's　not　worth　having。〃　　He　is
never　late；　never　dawdles；　never　goes　out　in　the　evening　except　on
errands　for　me；　never　touches　sake；　is　never　disobedient；　never
requires　to　be　told　the　same　thing　twice；　is　always　within　hearing；
has　a　good　deal　of　tact　as　to　what　he　repeats；　and　all　with　an
undisguised　view　to　his　own　interest。　　He　sends　most　of　his　wages
to　his　mother；　who　is　a　widow〃It's　the　custom　of　the　country〃
and　seems　to　spend　the　remainder　on　sweetmeats；　tobacco；　and　the
luxury　of　frequent　shampooing。

That　he　would　tell　a　lie　if　it　served　his　purpose；　and　would
〃squeeze〃　up　to　the　limits　of　extortion；　if　he　could　do　it
unobserved；　I　have　not　the　slightest　doubt。　　He　seems　to　have　but
little　heart；　or　any　idea　of　any　but　vicious　pleasures。　　He　has　no
religion　of　any　kind；　he　has　been　too　much　with　foreigners　for
that。　　His　frankness　is　something　startling。　　He　has　no　idea　of
reticence　on　any　subject；　but　probably　I　learn　more　about　things　as
they　really　are　from　this　very　defect。　　In　virtue　in　man　or　woman；
except　in　that　of　his　former　master；　he　has　little；　if　any　belief。
He　thinks　that　Japan　is　right　in　availing　herself　of　the
discoveries　made　by　foreigners；　that　they　have　as　much　to　learn
from　her；　and　that　she　will　outstrip　them　in　the　race；　because　she
takes　all　that　is　worth　having；　and　rejects　the　incubus　of
Christianity。　　Patriotism　is；　I　think；　his　strongest　feeling；　and　I
never　met　with　such　a　boastful　display　of　it；　except　in　a　Scotchman
or　an　American。　　He　despises　the　uneducated；　as　he　can　read　and
write　both　the　syllabaries。　　For　foreign　rank　or　position　he　has
not　an　atom　of　reverence　or　value；　but　a　great　deal　of　both　for
Japanese　officialdom。　　He　despises　the　intellects　of　women；　but
flirts　in　a　town…bred　fashion　with　the　simple　tea…house　girls。

He　is　anxious　to　speak　the　very　best　English；　and　to　say　that　a
word　is　slangy　or　common　interdicts　its　use。　　Sometimes；　when　the
weather　is　fine　and　things　go　smoothly；　he　is　in　an　excellent　and
communicative　humour；　and　talks　a　good　deal　as　we　travel。　　A　few
days　ago　I　remarked；　〃What　a　beautiful　day　this　is！〃　and　soon
after；　note…book　in　hand；　he　said；　〃You　say　'a　beautiful　day。'　　Is
that　better　English　than　'a　devilish　fine　day；'　which　most
foreigners　say？〃　　I　replied　that　it　was　〃common；〃　and　〃beautiful〃
has　been　brought　out　frequently　since。　　Again；　〃When　you　ask　a
question　you　never　say；　'What　the　d…l　is　it？'　as　other　foreigners
do。　　Is　it　proper　for　men　to　say　it　and　not　for　women？〃　　I　told　him
it　was　proper　for　neither；　it　was　a　very　〃common〃　word；　and　I　saw
that　he　erased　it　from　his　note…book。　　At　first　he　always　used
fellows　for　men；　as；　〃Will　you　have　one　or　two　FELLOWS　for　your
kuruma？〃　〃FELLOWS　and　women。〃　　At　last　he　called　the　Chief
Physician　of　the　hospital　here　a　FELLOW；　on　which　I　told　him　that
it　was　slightly　slangy；　and　at　least　〃colloquial；〃　and　for　two　days
he　has　scrupulously　spoken　of　man　and　men。　　To…day　he　brought　a　boy
with　very　sore　eyes　to　see　me；　on　which　I　exclaimed；　〃Poor　little
fellow！〃　and　this　evening　he　said；　〃You　called　that　boy　a　fellow；　I
thought　it　was　a　bad　word！〃　　The　habits　of　many　of　the　Yokohama
foreigners　have　helped　to　obliterate　any　distinctions　between　right
and　wrong；　if　he　ever　made　any。　　If　he　wishes　to　tell　me　that　he
has　seen　a　very　tipsy　man；　he　always　says　he　has　seen　〃a　fellow　as
drunk　as　an　Englishman。〃　　At　Nikko　I　asked　him　how　many　legal　wives
a　man　could　have　in　Japan；　and　he　replied；　〃Only　one　lawful　one；
but　as　many　others　（mekake）　as　he　can　support；　just　as　Englishmen
have。〃　　He　never　forgets　a　correction。　　Till　I　told　him　it　was
slangy　he　always　spoke　of　inebriated　people　as　〃tight；〃　and　when　I
gave　him　the　words　〃tipsy；〃　〃drunk；〃　〃intoxicated；〃　he　asked　me
which　one　would　use　in　writing　good　English；　and　since　then　he　has
always　spoken　of　people　as　〃intoxicated。〃

He　naturally　likes　large　towns；　and　tries　to　deter　me　from　taking
the　〃unbeaten　tracks；〃　which　I　preferbut　when　he　finds　me
immovable；　always　concludes　his　arguments　with　the　same　formula；
〃Well；　of　course　you　can　do　as　you　like；　it's　all　the　same　to　me。〃
I　do　not　think　he　cheats　me　to　any　extent。　　Board；　lodging；　and
travelling　expenses　for　us　both　are　about　6s。　6d。　a　day；　and　about
2s。　6d。　when　we　are　stationary；　and　this　includes　all　gratuities
and　extras。　　True；　the　board　and　lodging　consist　of　tea；　rice；　and
eggs；　a　copper　basin　of　water；　an　andon　and　an　empty　room；　for；
though　there　are　plenty　of　chickens　in　all　the　villages；　the　people
won't　be　bribed　to　sell　them　for　killing；　though　they　would　gladly
part　with　them　if　they　were　to　be　kept　to　lay　eggs。　　Ito　amuses　me
nearly　every　night　with　stories　of　his　unsuccessful　attempts　to
provide　me　with　animal　food。

The　travelling　is　the　nearest　approach　to　〃a　ride　on　a　rail〃　that　I
have　ever　made。　　I　have　now　ridden；　or　rather　sat；　upon　seventy…six
horses；　all　horrible。　　They　all　stumble。　　The　loins　of　some　are
higher　than　their　shoulders；　so　that　one　slips　forwards；　and　the
back…bones　of　all　are　ridgy。　　Their　hind　feet　grow　into　points
which　turn　up；　and　their　hind　legs　all　turn　outwards；　like　those　of
a　cat；　from　carrying　heavy　burdens　at　an　early　age。　　The　same　thing
gives　them　a　roll　in　their　gait；　which　is　increased　by　their
awkward　shoes。　　In　summer　they　feed　chiefly　on　leaves；　supplemented
with　mashes　of　bruised　beans；　and　instead　of　straw　they　sleep　on
beds　of　leaves。　　In　their　stalls　their　heads　are　tied　〃where　their
tails　should　be；〃　and　their　fodder　is　placed　not　in　a　manger；　but
in　a　swinging　bucket。　　Those　used　in　this　part　of　Japan　are　worth
from　15　to　30　yen。　　I　have　not　seen　any　overloading　or　ill…
treatment；　they　are　neither　kicked；　nor